Plasticity of isotropic composites with randomly oriented and packeted inclusions (Q1341238)

This paper deals with the determination of the nonlinear elastoplastic response of a two-phase isotropic composite with randomly oriented and packeted inclusions. The response is described as a function of inclusion shape at the low concentration range. In the two-phase composite, three- dimensional spheroidal inclusions are taken to be elastic and isotropic, while the ductile matrix is supposed to be elastoplastic and isotropic. First, a linear composite with identical microgeometry is studied, and then the effective elastic moduli of two-phase composite are calculated. Next, the effective stress of ductile matrix with randomly oriented inclusions is estimated, and some special cases are examined involving rigid inclusions, voids, incompressible matrix with incompressible inclusions, and alike. Also, the effective stress of the ductile matrix in each grain with packeted inclusions is calculated. The results which are based on an energy approach are shown to agree satisfactory with finite element calculations and some experimental data. The paper which appeals to specialists in the area of composite materials may be extended to other types of composite systems.